Staff members as well as service providers of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers state have on Tuesday, August 15, begun a warning strike for higher salaries.
The workers and service providers are protesting for higher pay following the removal of fuel subsidy, which they claim has resulted in affordability problems.
On Tuesday, August 15, a Twitter user, shared a video showing some Shell staff protesting under the umbrella of the Shell branch of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
In the video, the protesters could be heard chanting the solidarity song, while wearing tags asking the company to end fuel subsidy removal pain from workers and service providers.
In another video that has surfaced online, an SPDC staff and representative of PENGASSAN was seen speaking about the situation. He said:
- “You cannot believe that some people working at Shell go home with less than the minimum wage, now it is happening in Nigeria where inflation has eaten deep into our total wage where people who work for Shell are not able to provide basic food for their families, yet Shell remains adamant in Nigeria.
- “Whereas in some other countries, they provided palliatives for such countries like Argentina, Turkey and Venezuela. Now it is happening in Nigeria and Shell has decided to be adamant that is why we are here; we are going to resist them via this three-day warning strike.
- “After the warning strike, if they are not able to come to the table to grant our demands, we will shut Shell operations in Nigeria.”
Shell could not be reached for comment as at the time of filing this report.
What you should know
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration said that it was working to address the economic realities Nigerians are facing as a result of the fuel subsidy removal.
Nigerians are struggling with a 24.08% inflation rate as well as the rise in prices of goods and services which have rendered many Nigerian families poor.
Since there were no solid plans on how to reduce the impact of fuel subsidy removal before it was done, the country has grappled with soaring prices of goods and services, primarily due to the double impact of the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of the naira.
Also, rising global crude oil prices have further compounded fears, making many Nigerians anxious about an even steeper climb in fuel prices.
While these pressures have mounted, the government seemed, until now, without a clear response to the crisis, leaving many Nigerians in suspense.